Fire Emblem: Engage feels like the logical conclusion to the trajectory set forth by Awakening. There is a definitive change in the series following the Tellius games underselling (Nintendo forgot to market them) and IntSys making the successful FE: Awakening.

Engage has fun combat and adds new things. The maps are varied and the combinations in class + emblem ring really scratches the number crunching itch. However, some questionable decisions with the new mechanics or enemy stat scaling holds it back. Some mechanics outright don't work in some situations and some bosses are harder than their entire level. The core gameplay loop is still fire emblem and the maps have variety so it works and is easily the best part of this game.

The characters are not good, obviously there are standouts and favorites but this is arguably the weakest cast in the series. People call the character designs "camp" and "self-aware corny" but nothing in the game actually supports that - the designs just aren't good.

The story speaks for itself. (It's not good)

Obviously it sounds cynical or cranky to say "Fire Emblem isn't how it used to be!" but there is an exact point in the series where priorities changed and the games are being made for a different group of people.

The games just aren't for fans of FE1->F10 anymore.